Sunday, November 14, 2010

I miss Provence at any number of random moments, but a lot of them seem to hit in November. I think it has something to do with the crisp, clear fall air in the French countryside and the excitement of the winter holidays that starts to creep into the marchés, even before the Christmas markets open.

Back from the October school break, families go for evening walks, bundled up against the autumn chill in the air, and cafés turn on outdoor heaters to let their patrons continue the unofficial national pastime of people-watching.

This photo was taken just outside the town of Lourmarin, in the Luberon region, in November 2005. The Luberon is further inland than Aix-en-Provence, and is home to some of the things we consider distinctly provençal: olive groves and lavender fields, not to mention beautiful skies and charming villages. And, because I couldn’t pick just one photo of that perfect, if chilly, fall day, here’s another – this one of a cottage so picturesquely charming I actually laughed when I saw it. If I lived there, I’d curl up in one of the windows with a book, watching the world go by as my garden prepared itself for winter.

Wow, that first photo is so lovely, with the leaves framing an exquisite sky. We stopped in a small town called Brignoles last autumn to visit relatives. I posted a few photos at: http://1worldimages.com/2009/10/29/557/

Thank you, that's quite a compliment coming from you, Bob! Great photos on your end, I love the one of the couple crossing the street in Brignoles. I've jumped off the rocks in your photo of Cassis, at the lefthand side where you can just make out two people standing. Although that was in late May, not October!

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About Me

I'm a traveler and a student - both in the classroom and of human nature around the world. I've studied in schools in California, Washington, DC, Aix-en-Provence, France, Sydney, Australia, and on the streets of many cities in between. I have yet to meet a guidebook that didn't make me want to immediately start planning a trip, whether to a city in the next state over or an historical site halfway around the world. Wherever my next destination may be, I hope you'll come along for the ride.